Thieves get rich and saints get shot
by angel1983
Summary: "So what you sayin' you believe in the system", Eric asked him curiously. "No", Speed shook his head. "Too old and too cynical for that" Episode tag to S2E13 where Speed's suspect walks. Rated T cos it mentions murder and torture. Not sure if there are any explicit spoilers


**A.N: Inspired by the dialogue between Flack on Bobby on CSI NY S7E11. I know, I know this is a Miami fic... Episode tag to S2E13, where Speed's suspect walks**

 **Anything you recognise does not belong to me**

"You believe in the system?"

"Wha…?" the question from Speed had been abrupt and unexpected breaking into Eric's thoughts and causing him to lower the bottle he had been about to take a sip from. For a second all he could do was stare at him before turning away to scan the busy bar for a lack of anything better to do

The silence stretched between them but Speed it seemed was ok with not having an immediate answer. He had after all always been the more patient of the two

After a long moment all Eric could come up with was a vague, "I don't know"

Speed's look clearly said 'Explain'

"You first", Eric shot back verbally staring at Speed and wondering what the heck was going on

"What do you mean?" Speed deflected cursing himself for not realizing that Eric would turn this back on him

Eric just chuckled knowingly before turning his head away.

"A year ago I would have said yes", he confessed softly at last. This time the chuckle was less knowing and more tired

"Why?" Speed asked him just as soft not sure if he wanted whatever this can of worms was open. Now that he looked at his friend, really looked at him, Eric looked worse than he felt

Eric simply shrugged. "Your turn", he tried again going back to his drink

For a moment Speed half considered telling him but then realized that Eric need to talk more than he did. Ok a small part of him realized that, the rest of him was trying to stop himself from running as fast as he could in the opposite direction instead of opening up

"Told you before man, this is just a job", he stated at last knowing that even he didn't believe in the words anymore

Eric just nodded knowingly. "That's why you're sitting here looking like someone kicked your puppy"

Speed sighed. "Calliegh tell you?" he asked him even though he already knew the answer

Eric just stared at him before turning away.

"You ever consider walking away?" he asked at last

Speed wasn't too surprised, was even expecting it ever since his initial question. "Most days", he confessed, "Especially when I catch the 4 A.M. ones"

Eric's laugh was small however it did break the tension somewhat

"You know who my murder victim from last night was?" Eric asked him breaking the silence again a few minutes later

At that Speed realized that a crowded bar wasn't the best place to have this discussion, especially on a case the details of which hadn't been made public yet. H would have both their hides if they let something slip inadvertently. At the same time it was clear that it wouldn't be fair to Eric to drop the conversation like this. There really was only one thing he could do since he was the one who had opened his big mouth to begin this

Decision made he stood up. "C'mon", he said pulling the younger man to his feet, dropping some money on the counter to cover their tabs

"Huh…", was the most intelligent thing Eric could come up with to that. Speed was acting very out of character for Speed leaving him feeling off-balance

"C'mon", Speed repeated tilting his head toward the door. Eric nodded and followed

"You drive here?"

The question caused Eric to frown. "Huh, no", he stated hesitantly at last. "No, I walked here". He didn't need to elaborate the reason for walking. Speed understood all too well and opened his mouth for what was undeniably a lecture, however Eric cut him off.

"Drop it"

Speed nodded hands raised in front of him defensively

"Besides you walked here too", he stated feeling defensive all of a sudden

Speed actually laughed at that just as Eric spotted a very familiar yellow Ducati.

"No, no way man", Eric shook his head backing off

"I barely had one beer Delko", Speed protested. "Besides not as if my place is far away. So c'mon". He swung his legs over the bike looking at Eric expectantly

"Not at the speed you drive", Eric muttered rebelliously but did as he was told 

"So who was he?", Speed asked his friend a few minutes later as he placed a beer in front of him.

Instead of answering however the younger man posed a question of his own. "You know my parents came over here from Cuba, right?"

"Yeah", Speed vaguely remembered Eric telling him he was part Cuban. "I think you told me. Wet foot dry foot?" he asked remembering their case from last year

Eric nodded. "We grew up here, me and my sisters, safe, but my parents", he paused to take a sip of his beer. "My ma and her family, they weren't exactly safe. Their lives weren't free"

"Can't imagine what that's like", Speed responded when it seemed Eric wasn't going to continue

"His name was El Carnicero". The seeming non-sequitur confused Speed for a minute before he remembered his original question

"The Butcher", Speed asked pulling an incredulous chuckle from Eric.

"Ok who are you and what the hell did you do to my friend", he asked the older man with another small laugh

"What?", the look on Speed's face was blank, however Eric could see a smile threatening to break out

"Nothing", he said at last turning away taking another sip of his beer. "He was a torturer for Fidel", he continued explaining what had happened

"Oh, wow. So the guy was killed by his own kid. That's just crazy man"

Eric frowned at that. "C'mon Speed, the guy raped her. How can that make Carlos his kid?", he asked at last a little heatedly

"Huh", Speed wondered why this of all things bothered Eric so much.

The look on Speed's face told him the trace expert hadn't understood his anger. "Nothing, let's just let it go all right", he said not in the mood for an argument

"Ok", Speed agreed somewhat relieved. When he had invited Eric over for a drink, pushing his buttons wasn't what he had had in mind

"You remember the Clavo Cruz case?", he asked at last not sure why he was opening up. Maybe it was a peace offering of sorts for unknowingly ticking Eric off.

"Not something I'm likely to forget", Eric grumbled without any heat behind his words this time

"I asked H why forensics",

Eric stared at him

"In the middle of the case while he asked me to process some evidence", he elaborated causing Eric's jaw to drop

"Whoa", was all he could come up with

"I know crazy right", Speed responded with a chuckle before sobering up

"I met them that night Eric", he continued tone somber. "I met the parents of the pool victim and watched H talk to them. We may not have gotten Clavo, but we sure as hell caught his brother right. Forensics gave closure to one family". Speed it seemed was almost talking to himself now

"So what you sayin' you believe in the system", Eric asked him curiously

"No", Speed shook his head. "Too old and too cynical for that"

"Then what are you saying?" Eric was officially confused now.

"I'm saying that life's not fair Eric, but we gotta deal with it right. Cos, we're just too used to it", he stated repeating the same words he had used with the suspect earlier.

Eric gave him another nod before taking another sip of his beer.

"Thank you", he stated at last

"For what?"

"You know for dragging me out here instead of…", he trailed off not knowing how to complete that sentence.

Speed it seemed did not have the same trouble. "Instead of having to find your body somewhere in a ditch tomorrow cos you were too drunk and too stupid to make it home safely. I just saved myself from processing an extra scene"

"You get that mother hen routine from Alexx, Speed?", Eric asked seemingly unperturbed by his friend's sarcasm

Of course what he really wanted to say was 'Thank you for caring'

"Funny Delko, really funny", Speed deadpanned

His eyes simply said, 'You're welcome'


End file.
